In The News: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Vaccines are a crucial way to protect the body from illnesses, helping the body鈥檚 immune system learn how to fight germs. They also help keep viruses from spreading. The COVID vaccine, for example, prevented an estimated 8 million fewer cases of COVID, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 fewer hospitalizations during just the first six months it was released.
Vaccines are a crucial way to protect the body from illnesses, helping the body鈥檚 immune system learn how to fight germs. They also help keep viruses from spreading. The COVID vaccine, for example, prevented an estimated 8 million fewer cases of COVID, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 fewer hospitalizations during just the first six months it was released.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn鈥檛 take long, it鈥檚 a task that is easy to put off 鈥 and off 鈥 and off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention, and if you鈥檙e generally in good health, you may think it鈥檚 no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven鈥檛 gotten your flu shot.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn鈥檛 take long, it鈥檚 one of those tasks it鈥檚 easy to put off 鈥 and put off 鈥 and put off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention and if you鈥檙e generally in good health, you may think it鈥檚 no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven鈥檛 gotten your flu shot.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn鈥檛 take long, it鈥檚 one of those tasks it鈥檚 easy to put off 鈥 and put off 鈥 and put off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention and if you鈥檙e generally in good health, you may think it鈥檚 no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven鈥檛 gotten your flu shot.
We all remember the days of strict COVID rules, like wearing a mask and keeping a six-foot distance from others. But as COVID has become less dangerous for most people and more ubiquitous, doctors and public health officials aren鈥檛 as emphatic about virus-related recommendations as they used to be.
The McDonald鈥檚 slogan may be 鈥淚鈥檓 lovin鈥 it,鈥 but many customers can鈥檛 say the same 鈥 at least, not after a foodborne illness outbreak at the chain led many to press pause on their regular fast food runs. Now McDonald鈥檚 is hoping to bring diners back 鈥 leading many to wonder if it鈥檚 actually safe to head to the Golden Arches once more.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been about five times as many cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, this year compared to October 2023. In fact, in a recent surveillance report for the week ending October 12, the CDC reported 18,506 cases.
A tickborne disease called babesiosis is rising sharply in the United States, according to a new study. The research, published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, looked at a nationally representative sample of about 3,500 Americans with babesiosis, which is often called "American malaria" because鈥攍ike malaria鈥攊t's caused by a parasite that affects red blood cells. They found that case rates increased 9% per year from 2015 to 2022, the time frame studied.
It鈥檚 easy to confuse ladybugs with Asian lady beetles. Both have bright, colorful shells with black spots. Both help to brighten up your garden. And regardless of which one you encounter, you should be happy to see them outside doing what they do best鈥攅ating aphids and other unwanted bugs.
As cold and flu season approaches, the situation is becoming more complex with the recent emergence of the new COVID-19 variant, XEC. COVID-19 and knowledge of its exact properties have evolved quite a bit, with different strains and variants (and many different names) surfacing. Government agencies are not officially tracking this latest new variant, but healthcare providers and researchers are monitoring the potential health risk. Here鈥檚 what you need to know.
When you check into a hotel, you usually get a feeling of comfort. The beds are made, there are fresh towels in the bathroom and little gifts to welcome you. The long-awaited vacation is finally beginning. But a hotel stay can also turn out differently. According to experts, many viruses and bacteria lurk in hotel rooms. In this context, epidemiologist Brian Labus points to a very specific object: the ice bucket. What's behind it and how you can protect yourself.